


sphallolalia

by chateauofmyheart



Series: queen + rare words [2]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Drinking, Drunken Kissing, Flirting, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Sharing a Bed, implied/referenced maylor, just briefly and not deacury, set in the 70s because im soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-19 13:10:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17002284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chateauofmyheart/pseuds/chateauofmyheart
Summary: sphallolalia - flirtatious talk that leads nowhere"'Are you going to tell me?' Freddie probably would’ve sounded more suave if not for the quiet almost desperation in the lines of his face. He looked ethereal, both young and old at the same time. John never pretended to be poet, but Freddie was something unique that brought out the writer in him."companion fic to strikhedonia





	sphallolalia

**Author's Note:**

> the love and support I got from strikhedonia was so overwhelming thank you!!! it made my day to wake up and read such nice comments, i really appreciate every single one! they are what keep me writing. I hope you enjoy this one as well!!

They were at a bar. John would rather be at a club.

But he knew that the others didn’t have the energy. Roger, despite his initial excitement and current drunken rambling, was clearly tired; he didn’t gesticulate as much and when he got loud his voice went raspier than usual. Brian was beside Roger, slumped over and lost in thought. Freddie had disappeared when they’d first arrived.

They all had their ways of dealing with being tired, John knew. Which is why he was a little surprised they had gone out to a bar at all. Tradition, perhaps. 

“And we’d been talkin’ for a week and she seemed- she liked me, y’know? But then I told her I’d changed- wasn’t studying dentistry anymore ‘nd suddenly she’s not interested? Dentistry is not sexier than biology “ Roger proclaimed. John thought about his test next Monday. Really, he should be studying. There was no reason to put off schoolwork- his priority- for the sake of socializing with his strange groupmates, no matter how much he found himself attached to them. This group, Queen, it was just for fun. John loved music, loved playing, but he was being realistic when he reminded himself that it wouldn’t last.

He hoped they’d remain friends at least, when they parted ways. John would miss Roger’s warm friendliness and mutual excitement about cars, and Brian’s sharp intellect and relentless creativity, and Freddie’s… Freddie-ness. 

“-asked my mate John- not you, ‘s a different John- ‘nd he said girls have a thing for doctors, ‘nd ‘m- was- a doctor. Technically” Roger grumbled, rubbing at his chest. John shrugged easily.

“Well, you certainly aren’t anymore.” Roger glared at him, but then gave a high-pitched laugh and threw back the last of his drink. John made sure not to flinch when the glass hit the wooden bar top violently. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself when Brian, who’d been subdued all evening, stood up suddenly. John noted with a pang of alarm that Brian was almost hyperventilating, eyes wide staring off into the distance. He stood there for a second, tension in every line of his body, then abruptly headed for the door.

Roger didn’t look away from the doorway where Brian’s shoulders had briefly filled the space. “Wha’ was that, do you think?” John didn’t have an answer. Roger kept staring, brow furrowed in confused concern. He bit his lip, bobbed his head a little, and then he was up and out the door as well.

 

John sat at the bar, now alone. He briefly considered going after the other two, but it would feel like an intrusion, most likely. They had a connection that John didn’t think he’d ever understand. His presence would just be awkward, especially now that he’d hesitated too long.

He turned back away from the door. He was on his own at the bar. Usually, John would content himself with this, being alone, but tonight he felt restless. Leftover anxiety from a minute ago was still hovering in his chest.

John decided to find Freddie.

 

Freddie probably wouldn’t have left the bar without mentioning it to one of the others, and John had seen him slip off towards the back, near the empty stage, when they’d gotten their first drinks. To the back, then.

At first precursory glance, Freddie was nowhere to be seen. But then John spotted a dark figure in the hallways leading to the bathrooms that popped out from the other shadows. There was no way to know it was Freddie except a familiar feeling. Something about the way the shadow moved; it was undeniably him. It had to be. John moved towards it.

It was late; probably after midnight, but the bar was still crowded enough John had to shuffle between people to get to the hallway. Once he got there, Freddie’s shadow had disappeared. John felt frustration rising in his gut, an ugly burning sensation he was unfortunately well acquainted with. He quelled it, knowing it wouldn’t help him, and looked around. He noticed that the hallway was not a dead end, but turned a corner, and promptly walked in.

And froze.

Freddie was up against the wall, one leg hitched up against the man he was currently snogging. Rather aggressive snogging, John noted distantly, busy watching the way Freddie’s hips rolled slightly forward. The man reached up and no sooner had he touched Freddie’s hair then his hand was slapped away.

“Don’t touch the hair, darling.” Freddie sounded breathless, the same way he did sometimes after a show, but less rough. The man snorted and stepped back, leaving Freddie reclined comfortably against the wall.

“My apologies, princess. Didn’t mean to offend.” Freddie didn’t respond, smoothing down his hair. The man watched him for a moment. “So, are we going to continue this?”

Freddie straightened up. “No, don’t bother. Was just looking for a bit of fun, is all” he responded casually. John could feel the man puff up.

“Fine. I can find better than you anyways.” He turned towards John and walked off. Freddie called after him.

“You’ll never find better than me!” The man brushed past John without a glance. John peeked back to Freddie, who was smoothing down his shirt. He looked up. They locked eyes.

John stared for a moment, freezing up. He had no idea what to do. Apparently, neither did Freddie, because he made a little noise in his throat and froze as well.

 

“... Nice fellow?” John offered after an long, agonizing silence. Maybe it broke the ice, or maybe Freddie just wanted it to. He shook his head.

“Not really.” There was a small smile in the corners of his mouth. John just stood and watched as Freddie walked up to him. Up close, Freddie ducked his head and ruffled his hair a little, a clear sign of awkward uncertainty. “Want to get drinks?” he offered. John could only nod.

 

“So where are our two missing queens?” Freddie inquired into his cocktail. John tore his gaze away from Freddie’s long eyelashes when those dark eyes met his.

“Brian left, don’t really know why, and Roger followed him” John explained simply. Freddie looked back to his drink.

“Maybe they’ll deal with that distracting sexual tension of theirs.” Freddie sighed. John blinked. He’d noticed a tension between Brian and Roger, but sexual?

“What’d you mean?” It was out before he could stop it. Freddie gave him a side glance, lips brushing the rim of his glass. He looked like he was steeling himself for something.

“Maybe this band is a little more queer than people seem to believe.”

A little thrill went up John’s spine. His heart beat a little faster. “Maybe so.” He didn’t know why he said it. Freddie’s eyes widened.

“Why, Deaky, I didn’t expect you to agree. Quite bold of you, wouldn’t you say?” This felt dangerous. John sipped his drink.

“Maybe there’s some things you don’t know about me yet” he murmured. Freddie looked like a cat, pupils fixed on him. It was intense, and it sent John’s heart rate up.

“Are you going to tell me?” Freddie probably would’ve sounded more suave if not for the quiet almost desperation in the lines of his face. He looked ethereal, both young and old at the same time. John never pretended to be poet, but Freddie was something unique that brought out the writer in him.

“I mean no, that would take forever.”

Freddie barked out a quiet laugh and then kept going, giggling helplessly and of course John had to join in. That feeling of danger dissipated mostly, leaving a warmth in John’s chest. Freddie smiled, open and wide, and John couldn’t help the way he stared. He knew Freddie didn’t smile like this often, usually too self-conscious of his teeth. He looked beautiful.

Freddie dropped his chin and shook his head, still grinning. “John Deacon, there is no one in this world like you.” That’s my line, John wanted to say. He bit his tongue and smiled shyly back.

 

They wandered home sometime after one in the morning. John’s brain unhelpfully reminded him of his test come Monday, but Freddie’s warm shoulder pressing into his own knocked the thought away. 

Freddie’s hair- midnight black, he’d described it once- shone brilliantly under the harsh streetlamps and John remembered Brian talking about the stars, one time out of many a couple months back. The way he’d described them, how they radiated light from their cores; unlike the moon, which merely reflected it. John thought Freddie could be a star, glowing so powerfully from his whole being simply because that’s who he was. John could be his moon, reflecting that shine.

Freddie smiled at him again, a quiet thing as their bodies pressed together in the cold, and thoughts of stars and Brian faded when faced with the stars in Freddie’s eyes.

 

The apartment lights were out when they entered save for the floor lamp in the living room. And lying on the couch were Brian and Roger, hopelessly intertwined. Freddie lit up at the sight and disappeared into the kitchen, returning with John’s camera. John watched as Freddie snapped a photo, the click cutting through the heavy quiet. Neither of the sleeping figures stirred.

“It’ll be fun to see their faces when I show them this tomorrow” Freddie whispered loudly, eyes narrowed with mischievous delight. John nodded and they smiled at each other for a moment.

John was the first to look away. “S’pose we should be sleeping as well.” 

He glanced back to see Freddie gazing at the unconscious couple with something like longing in his eyes. They looked at each other again, quieter.

“You wouldn’t mind,” Freddie dropped his gaze before steeling himself like he had at the bar, “doing what they’re doing, would you darling?” He was asking John to join him in bed. Not even as anything but cuddling. As always, John could only helplessly agree. The way Freddie lit up again, softer but just as beautiful, and the corresponding warmth that flooded John’s entire body made the helplessness absolutely worth it.

Freddie was even warmer, pressed up against his chest. His hair smelled like expensive shampoo and something uniquely Freddie. Stardust, maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> from now on this series will be unrelated oneshots!! feel free to recommend a character or ship you'd like to see me write if you want! thank you again for all the support !!


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